The efficient administration of synchronization timing assignments and supplies is essential for achieving success in the telecommunications industry. For example, in a central office environment, composite clock cards and T1 cards must be inventoried and assigned. In addition to these standard timing assignments, SONET compatibility, and stratum levels must also be extensively inventoried.
Mechanized and manual systems are used to capture information on timing equipment supplies and assignments. These mechanical systems are limited in functionality (e.g., there are no regional methods and procedures for usage; local sporadic and inconsistent usage deters accurate representations of the actual inventory resulting in delays in the services, etc.). The issue of timely service provisioning for customer requirements may be jeopardized without a means to track and manage this information. As new capacity and new configurations for equipment are developed and deployed, the inaccuracies of assignment tracking may grow.
What is needed, therefore, is a way to efficiently manage timing equipment supplies and assignments.